[ExI] Fwd: [wta-talk] The Singularity - A Dissent

[Stefan Pernar]

On Tue, Jun 3, 2008 at 1:57 PM, Samantha  Atkins <sjatkins at mac.com> wrote:

> *From: *Samantha  Atkins <sjatkins at mac.com>
> *Date: *June 2, 2008 10:56:20 PM PDT
> *To: *World Transhumanist Association Discussion List <
> wta-talk at transhumanism.org>
> *Subject: **Re: [wta-talk] The Singularity - A Dissent*
>
> On Jun 2, 2008, at 5:25 PM, Stathis Papaioannou wrote:
>
> In the possibility space of all AI's, there will be some that will
>
> manage our affairs better than we could. But the two problems are how
>
> to recognise which ones these will be, and how to prevent people from
>
> building other AI's that they believe will further their selfish
>
> interests. In the case of nuclear weapons only a few have access to
>
> them, and it is obvious even to a stupid person how dangerous they can
>
> be. Neither of these things is certain about AI research.
>
> I am rather depressed to admit that I find worries about AGI much less
> compelling of late.  The reason is that it seems more certain to me by the
> day that humans are far too relatively stupid and bound hopelessly by their
> evolutionary programming to pose much of a threat of any sort of real
> transcendence or building that which will transcend or is even the seed of
> such.  We take too long to mature only to decay too rapidly.  We spend most
> of our energies, even many of the best and brightest of us in exceedingly
> mundane activities and concerns.  Even the best of us seem quite poor at
> consistent high quality thinking much less action on any significant scale
> of cooperating individuals.  Our organizations, no matter how high-minded in
> stated intent, are mired in common monkey feces slinging to such an extent
> that very little of real value gets done or can get done.   I am hoping it
> is a passing melancholy.  But of late this is very sadly how this all too
> human world of ours looks to me.   Perhaps it is only or mostly what I see
> in the mirror and perhaps harshly.  Perhaps many live on a different level.
>  But I am not seeing the evidence this is so and I would very much like to.
>
> - samantha
>
> <http://lists.extropy.org/mailman/listinfo.cgi/extropy-chat>


I could not agree more on your evolutionary thoughts but unlike you I see
hope. I suggest you go and check Evolution's Arrow by John Stewart (
http://users.tpg.com.au/users/jes999/) - very uplifting and inspiring
reading.

Cheers,

Stefan


-- 
Stefan Pernar
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#6 Cai Hong Road, Da Shan Zi
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100015 Beijing
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Skype: Stefan.Pernar
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